


Keeps on Turning

by notthebigspoon



Series: Hell in a Handbasket [6]
Category: Neal Tiemann - Fandom, The Anthemic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-12
Updated: 2012-08-12
Packaged: 2017-11-12 00:41:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/484708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthebigspoon/pseuds/notthebigspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You can only stay mad at your best friend for too long, even when he fucked someone who wasn't you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeps on Turning

It's everyone's fault and no one's fault that they really suck today. Well, actually, Neal thinks they can probably center it on him and Andy. Okay, Neal doesn't really think that but that's what Cook snapped at him before storming off for a bottle of water and telling them to get their fucking act together or maybe they should cancel the show that night so people wouldn't think they totally sucked.

Neal's not sure why Andy is so pissy with him. It's not like he did anything to the guy and it's not like Andy liked him anyways, not when he went and sang with that stupid motherfucking midget of an Allen. Neal would deny being bitter over but it's really not worth the trouble. He'd just flipped Andy off and informed him that if he were into dating action figures, there might still be some GI Joes in his mom's basement that Andy could have. Andy had said maybe since Neal had a thing for teenagers, he could make a pass at Justin Bieber next.

So yeah. Tension and drama and frustration. All things to be avoided that put one gigantic awful fucking elephant in the room.

When his little diva fit (well earned, Neal had to say) was over Dave came back and ordered them to get their asses into gear. Andy muttered something that Neal couldn't hear but he took it as a challenge, to get the fuck over that little bitch and rock it the fuck out and prove that he had something to offer. Or just at least that he could show that bitch up even when he was hopelessly in love with him and being a bitch about.

Damn it. Those little thoughts that were half Neal Tiemann smugness and sneaky bits of David Cook bitchiness needed to stop creeping in on him. David's finally satisfied with sound check after their mood (and playing) improves and Neal goes to hide the fuck out in the dressing room until the show so he can not have to think about whether or not he is going to totally suck tonight. Also to hide from the meet and greet.

“Fucking awesome job Tiemann. Blew me away.”

Neal's known him long enough to know when Andy's bullshitting and he so definitely isn't right now. After the week they've had it's a shock to be spoken to with something other than contempt. “I.. uh, thanks. You too. Nearly had me beat.” Requisite smirk.

Andy throws his head back and laughs, long and hard, before shaking his head and dropping it back now. “C'mon, Tiemann, what are we doing? So we both fucked some freakshows, not like we have to get into it over who got the biggest freakshows.” He pauses and muses over it for a moment. “Maybe I should take that back. You got two of them, twice as much as me.”

“Fuck you man.” But Neal is laughing this time and pitching Andy the extra beer he thought he was going to need to make it through the rest of this night. “I tell you what, whoever ends up with that Glitterdick Lambert, is the one who has to buy the other a case.... no, five cases, of beer. There's your Freakshow Fucking.”

The next few hours are spent working their way through beers and discussing the steadily more bizarre options they have for copulation. Dave walks in on them and first looks surprised that they're talking at all and then downright nauseated when Neal suggests that their fearless leader might be the most bizarre fuck at all, they should go for it together. He turns on his heel and walks straight out. Neal snickers as he gets up and tosses his pile of beer bottles into a trash can.

When he drops down onto the couch again, Andy is giving him a curious look that makes him feel so small he wants to shrink into the couch. He compensates by snapping, “Dude, what?”

“I was just curious... why did you go with Archie and that kid? No, no, I'm not judging you man. I honestly don't get it. I know you were with Archie but wouldn't that just make it hurt more, to have someone and know you weren't getting it back?”

“It was nothing like that. It was just sex.” Neal shakes his head. 

He wants to continue the conversation, feels the briefest impulse to tell Andy exactly why he would go off with two people he didn't really truly want to have, but then someone's calling _Five Minutes!_ and five minutes later he's walking onto the stage. The light washes over him and for a brief, glorious time, he doesn't have to think.


End file.
